Pilgrimage promoting India-Nepal ties begins

A total of 36 pilgrims from Kathmandu set off for pilgrimage to various parts of India on Thursday.

The pilgrimage which has the participation of the elderly citizens of Nepal is being initiated by the Nepal Bharat Friendship Society with the support from the Indian Mission in Nepal.

"India has age old relations with Nepal and this age old relation includes the religious, social and the cultural relation. The culture and the other things are similar between the two sides. Many things in Nepal such as "Shraddha" (commemorating the deceased ones) does not get completed without the pilgrimage tour in India," President of Nepal Bharat Friendship Society, Prem Lashkery told ANI highlighting the religious bond shared between the two neighboring countries.

The pilgrimage which was flagged off on Thursday, will go around India and Nepal with for two weeks.

The pilgrims will enter India through Nepal's Birgunj and then tour Harihar Kshetra, PunPun, Gaya, Bodh Gaya, Kashi Bishow Nath, Bindhabasini, Chitra Kut, Allahabad, Prayag, Ayodhya Ram Janma Bhumi , Gorakh Nath, Tribeni, Devghat and then returning back to Kathmandu.

"It obviously will strengthen the relation between Nepal and India. This also shows that the relation between the countries is not confined to political level only but very good relation exists in the religious sector too," Bidur KC, a pilgrimage from the team heading for India told ANI before the departure.